Mexican food, particularly those dishes that utilize tacos and tortillas, has become very popular in the United States. The Mexican foods market, including the fast food, dine-in/sit down restaurant and the home production and consumption segments, has grown into a multi-billion dollar industry. Many individuals enjoy the fast food and restaurant version of Mexican taco and tortilla-based dishes, while many others prefer to construct their taco and tortilla-based dishes at home using fresh ingredients. However, the nature of many popular taco and tortilla dishes present several undesirable problems for taco and tortilla preparers and consumers.
One such problem encountered in preparation of tacos and tortillas is that, since taco shells have a rounded base and tortillas revert to a flat disc shape when not held in hand, it is very difficult to support taco shells and tortillas in an upright or manageably stable position while filling the taco and tortilla, respectively, with the desired ingredients, such as meat, beans, vegetables, and/or salsa, etc. Unfortunately, the taco and tortilla builder's effort often results in a mess wherein many of the taco ingredients end up outside the taco shell or in unmanageable proportions on tortillas during the construction process. There is therefore a need for a taco shell and tortilla support device, which will support tacos and tortillas in a position to reduce waste and mess and simplify the taco and tortilla filling process.
Moreover, following preparation of tacos and tortillas, tacos are presented on their side on a plate. This can lead to much of the taco filling falling out of the taco shell onto the plate. When tortillas are presented on a plate, they lay open and are presented as a mound of ingredients that tend to distribute all over the tortilla, thus causing the loss of tortilla fillings when the consumer picks up the tortilla filled with ingredients. Tacos and tortillas are currently transported and supported by plates, papers or an apparatus such as that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,019,224. When paper or plates are used as transport or support devices, they yield the undesirable need for action by the food consumer to replace or redistribute the taco and tortilla fillings in the tortilla shell. Further, the presentation of tacos and tortillas on paper or plates is not the most aesthetically pleasing method and could subtract from the entire eating experience.
Another problem that is occurring in the Mexican foods market, including the fast food, dine-in/sit down restaurant and the home production and consumption segments, is that there is substantial waste occurring as a result of the inefficient use of packaging and support materials. In the fast food, dine-in/sit down restaurant segment, tacos and tortillas are packaged and provided to the customer wrapped in paper. The paper is then discarded and the tacos and/or tortillas are supported and presented on a plate. In the home production and consumption segment, taco and tortilla kits are sold in boxes filled with taco and/or tortilla shells and fillings, including meat seasoning. In this environment the box used as packaging is discarded. The tacos and tortillas are then prepared and presented on their side on paper or a standard dinner plate. There is a need for taco and tortilla packaging that can serve as initial packaging and as the transport and support apparatus in the fast food, dine-in/sit down restaurant and the home production and consumption segments. The packaging needed would prevent waste associated with having separate packaging and support apparatuses.
Accordingly, there is a need for an improved tortilla packaging and support apparatus. The present invention provides a solution to many problems, such as those discussed above, currently faced in the industry.